Tararua Growers Congratulate Horizons Council "Common Sense"

Tararua
Growers Congratulate Horizons Regional Council “Common
Sense”“At
last, some common sense from the Horizon’s Regional
Council over the One Plan,” says Terry Olsen, Chair of the
Tararua Growers Association. “We congratulate the
Councillors on their recent 10-2 vote to support the
application by Horticulture New Zealand to review the
Environment Court decision on the Horizons One
Plan.”

“This is a wise move by the Councillors and
reflects the growing unease amongst Horizons vegetable
growers and farmers about the regulatory impacts of the One
Plan, “ adds Terry. ‘”As it currently stands the plan
doesn’t just damage our business but it will hit the wider
community hard with job losses and more negative economic
growth in one of the worst economically performing regions
in the country.”

In effect this decision by the
Councillors opens the way to a timely and transparent
scrutiny of the costs and benefits of the One Plan decision.
It means Council is now able to quickly provide information
previously not made available to modelling work commissioned
by the Ministry of Primary Industries, as part of the wider
work being done on the impact of the plan.

“The
Councillors have done the right thing,” notes Terry Olsen.
“Now it’s time for the Council officers to step up to
the plate and back their councillors in the review.”

The
decision to support Horticulture New Zealand’s application
for a review of the Environment Court decision was ratified
by a full Council meeting on February 26th and a memorandum
has been sent to the Court.

“It’s a pity that memo to
the Court doesn’t just simply state what the council voted
for and it is unfortunately obscure in its legalese but
luckily the minutes from the Council’s committee meeting
make the decision very clear,” says the Tararua Growers
Chair.

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